Paul Donnelly

Football player infobox
playername = Paul Donnelly
fullname = Paul Donnelly
dateofbirth = 31 August 1987
cityofbirth = Finglas,Dublin
countryofbirth = Ireland
currentclub = Kildare County FC
| position = Defender/ Midfielder
youthyears = -
youthclubs = Tolka Rovers
Rathoath Harps
Home Farm F.C.
Leeds United
youthyears = ??
??
??
1996
years = 1996-1999
1999-2005
2006
2007-
clubs = Leeds United F.C.
St Patrick’s Athletic
Kilkenny City F.C.
Kildare County
caps(goals) = 0 (0)
105 (2)
19 (0)
31(0)

Paul Donnelly played his schoolboy football with Tolka Rovers and Rathoath Harps before joining Home Farm F.C. and then moving over to England with Leeds United F.C. in 1996.

Donnelly was a regular member of the Leeds United youth and reserve squad but failed to break into the senior team. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under 15, under 18 and under 20 level. He played for the Irish Under 18 team that won the European Championships in Cyprus in 1998 playing alongside current Republic of Ireland internationals Richard Dunne and Robbie Keane. Donnelly scored a penalty in the deciding shoot out. Paul Donnelly went on to play in the under 20 World Cup in Nigeria.

However Paul Donnelly experienced a spate of injuries resultng in his release from Leeds United and his return home to Ireland where he signed for St Patrick’s Athletic. He remained with St. Patricks Athletic for six seasons, making well over 100 appearances for the Inchicore club. Donnelly moved to Kilkenny City F.C. towards the end of the 2006 season before signing for Kildare County F.C. in the 2007 preseason.

His favoured position is middle of midfield but is equally at home anywhere in the middle or in defence. Paul was stated as saying that he was he is delighted to sign for Kildare as he knows a number of the current Kildare County players and their reports on the club were very positive.